She slipped on her sunglasses. “Just pretend I’m not here. I’ll be out of your way in a minute.” With that, she walked off.
He nodded, lost in thoughts of how he could convince the department not to cut off his funding. He hated the notion of letting his father down, and of having to return to the university with his tail between his legs and no scientific proof that Bigfoot existed.
A woman’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. It sounded like Jordan, but who was she talking to? Ember was still back at the house.
“Do you like him?” Jordan asked. “Really?”
Dean followed her voice to the stable, stopping at a tree to listen when he saw that Jordan was indeed alone there.
“He said she voted him off the island?” She picked up one of Ember’s cats. “I know you don’t understand. It’s just a thing from a popular television show.”
What the…? She was having a tête-à-tête with the cat, or at least she seemed to believe that she was. Yet what she said sounded familiar. He racked his brain then remembered that this morning, he had said those very words after Ember had left the stable. When he was all alone with the animals. How could Jordan know that?
Jordan looked over at the mare and laughed. “Yes, Lycia, I know. You are a goddess, but I think Dean was referring to the origin of your name.”
Jordan was not only carrying on a conversation with a cat and a horse but somehow she seemed to know exactly what he and Ember had discussed earlier. And even what he’d said after Ember had left.
Only the animals could have heard him.
He froze, his heart beating wildly. This was impossible, yet it was happening.
Jordan nodded down at the cat. “Eggs and bread and fruit. Now you’re making me hungry. Ember’s a great cook. I had to skip breakfast. Oh, it was nothing. Mrs. Shaw’s poodle was having a meltdown, and she needed me to speak to him to find out the problem.”
The cat touched its paw to the tip of Jordan’s nose.
“He was angry because the chihuahua got a new chew toy and he didn’t,” she said as she set the feline on the floor. “It all worked out.”
Dean waited in stunned silence as Jordan secured a saddle on Lycia’s back then climbed onto the mare and walked it out of the stable. “Talk to you later, Artemis.”
He took out his phone and typed notes about the incredulous scene he’d observed. Was Jordan telepathically conversing with animals?
Something he’d observed earlier that day while they were in town niggled at him but he couldn’t quite remember what it was. Why was that memory so fuzzy? He scrolled through his phone until he found his notes from that afternoon.
Small child fell and scraped her knee. Guy in a paramedic uniform lays a hand close to spot, and the wound immediately heals.
Using crutch, I managed to knock down icicle from ‘Santa’s Workshop’ and let it melt in my hand. Plain old H2O. Air temperature is 25 C/78 F.
What he’d suspected earlier when they were downtown had to be true—that something very strange, maybe even supernatural was going on with the locals. This was just as earthshattering as Bigfoot’s existence. Maybe more so.
Wait until the rest of the department heard. He was going to turn the scientific universe and everything they knew about the world, on its ear. Something like this could lead to incredible breakthroughs, maybe even cures for illnesses, new technology, and who knew what else. All he needed was more time to study them.
He thought about Ember. He liked her—a lot. But she’d made it clear that she didn’t give a darn about his work. Considering that his own mother’s apathy for his father’s pursuits had broken up his parents’ marriage, Dean would never get involved with a woman who was equally unsupportive.
So, Ember might as well be his first subject.
As Ember set the table on the deck, Athena lay sprawled on a lounge chair. It was usually easy to tell the two sisters apart since Artemis spent most of her time climbing and playing, while Athena was more of a fan of cat naps.
Suddenly the normally-lazy feline leaped off the chair and sprinted across the deck.
A frog hopped past the cat and disappeared under the metal bin where Ember kept logs for the fireplace. Athena chased the frog, sliding the front half of her body under the rack. Then she turned onto her side and seemed to be trying to get free.
For heaven’s sake. “What kind of cat gets stuck, Athena?” Ember huffed as she lifted up the bin with one hand.
Athena backed away then returned to her chair, the frog all but forgotten.
“They’re going to take away your cat card if you keep that up,” Ember told her as she placed knives on the table.
The feline sat up taller and looked toward the far end of the lawn. Ember followed the cat’s gaze, and for a moment, her breath caught. Until she realized it was Dean leaning against a hay bale in the distance, and not someone who shouldn’t be there.
What was he doing? Then it hit her. Just as he’d been observing the residents of Nocturne Falls earlier, now he was watching her. Scrutinizing her.
Had he seen her pick up the heavy rack? She swallowed hard. Why wouldn’t he give up on his mission? She sure as heck didn’t enjoy feeling like his latest science project.
She purposely turned her back on him, headed inside and shut the glass sliders a little harder than she should, causing them to rattle loudly.
The stove timer dinged, alerting her that the rice was ready. As she moved the pot to a cool burner, Dean knocked on the glass door. Drawing a deep breath, she looked over her shoulder at him.
Her inner thermostat rose a dozen degrees. Damn her libido for reacting to that crooked grin and the sparkle in his eyes. He wasn’t looking at her as if she was a lab rat, more like she was a tasty morsel he planned to devour.
Which only stoked the heat building inside her. Grabbing the rice, she strode toward him.
Dean opened the door for her. “Smells great. I’ll start the grill.”
She set the pot on a trivet in the middle of the table and noticed the bottle of white wine there. A wave of nervous heat raced through her. After being sober for more than two years, being around alcohol was still a bit of a challenge, particularly when she was nervous, which she seemed to be when Dean was near.
I’ve got this.
Dean took out his cell and wrote something before setting it down on the counter next to the sink.
“Must’ve been pretty important,” she said.
He lit the grill. “What do you mean?”
“You seem to be texting or emailing a lot.”
Taking the kabobs out of the fridge, he shrugged, keeping his back to her. “I was checking the weather.” One by one, he carefully placed each skewer on the grate. “There’s a storm moving in tonight or tomorrow.”
The food sizzled on the grill. She inhaled the delicious aromas of the vegetables and shrimp. “Oh?”
He turned over one of the kabobs. “Would you consider letting me keep the cameras in place a little longer? Removing them during a storm might be challenging.” He pointed to his cast as if she could forget.
She considered his request. “I will, with one caveat, though.”
Setting down the tongs, he faced her. “I’m listening.”
“You can leave the cameras for a week, maybe longer.”
The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile. “That changes…it means a lot to me. That you’d support my research.”
She held up her index finger. “You must promise me that should you capture the footage you’re after, you won’t reveal the location of this area.”
Exhaling loudly, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “That’s a tough one, Ember. In the scientific community, evidence—even photographic proof of something—needs to be verified by more than one source to be considered credible.”
She straightened. “It’s not negotiable. I can’t have people traipsing all around my property, or heaven forbid, f
inding out that I live here.”
Lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes. “You’re right. Jeopardizing your privacy or safety isn’t worth it. If I capture any images of Bigfoot, I won’t reveal the exact location.”
Wow. He’d acquiesced so easily. Did he mean it? Maybe he was more concerned with her wellbeing than with his research, although she’d never have imagined that was the case.
“I’d never put you in harm’s way,” he said.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
Dean shut off the grill and loaded the kabobs onto a platter. “Let’s eat.” He sat down next to her. “Wine?” His expression shifted to panic. “Oh, God. I forgot…” Shaking his head, he stashed the bottle on the floor next to his chair. “I’m sorry.”
Apparently, he’d read quite a bit about her on the internet. Didn’t matter, though. Her past was her past. “You shouldn’t be drinking when you’re taking medicine.”
“Right you are. Thanks for thinking of that.”
“No problem.” She reached for the rice at the exact moment as Dean. Their fingers touched and lingered. His gaze drew hers like a magnet. The air between them sizzled with electricity. Pulling back, she grinned. “Go ahead.”
Instead of serving himself, he spooned some rice onto her plate first. “I’m curious to hear what you think about the shrimp.”
Despite the fact that her stomach had growled with hunger only a few minutes earlier, food was the last thing on her mind now. She barely heard his words over the buzzing in her head. The fact that he’d agreed to her terms—that he seemed to genuinely care about her safety—meant a lot to her. She could do this. She could trust him, at least enough to give in to desire, for a few days anyway. When she looked into Dean’s eyes, she found them darker, smokier.
Her heart pounded, but that little voice inside her warned her to take it slow. She couldn’t keep nixing every guy who liked her, as she had been for the last two years. At some point, she’d have to move past her issues and step out from behind walls she’d built around herself.
Take a chance.
Her phone rang, which jolted her out of the lusty haze. She glanced down at the display. Jordan. Who was probably calling to letting her know she was leaving the stables. “Excuse me a moment,” she said to Dean before answering. “Hey, Jordan.”
“Ember, I’m so sorry.”
At her friend’s panicked tone, Ember froze. “What is it?”
Why was Jordan crying?
Something’s happened to Lycia.
Ember could barely suck in a breath. “Jordan, please. Tell me what’s going on.”
“It was my fault. I walked her too close to the fence. She’s cut, Ember. There’s a lot of blood. We’re near the creek, at the peach tree.”
Ember’s heart lodged in her throat. “I’ll be right there. Call Dr. Schlick and have her get out here as quick as she can.”
“I will. Right now.” Jordan disconnected.
Shoving away from the table, she told Dean what was going on.
“I’m coming with you,” he said. “I know basic first aid for animals.”
Thank goodness. With a glance at his crutches, she grimaced. It would take him at least five or six minutes just to get to her car. Unless she carried him to it. But then he’d know her secret.
She couldn’t worry about that now. Nothing mattered except helping Lycia. “Grab your crutches.”
He knitted his brow but did what she asked.
Then she practically threw him over her shoulder and raced to the Range Rover.
Dean climbed into the passenger side without a word, yet she could almost hear the wheels turning in his head.
“We’ll discuss what just happened, I promise. Later.” She drove like Danica Patrick toward the creek.
To Dean’s credit, he merely nodded. “Do you have any first aid supplies in here?”
Her hands trembled on the steering wheel as she tried to recall where she’d stashed her first aid kit. “Look in the compartment between our seats.”
Dean found the plastic box right away, opened it up and sorted through the contents. “This should cover it. Unless it’s worse than Jordan thinks.”
Ember gulped. Moments later she found Jordan and Lycia next to the creek.
Jordan hurried over to the vehicle, red-faced and clearly distraught. “Thank heavens you’re here. Dr. Schlick said it’ll take her about an hour to get here.”
Ember ran to the mare and gasped at the bloody cut on her right hind leg. Her eyes stung as she rubbed Lycia’s neck. “You’re going to be okay, baby.”
“I told her,” Jordan said. “She’s been asking for you.” With a glance at Dean, she sucked in her lips. “I mean, I can tell she wanted Ember.”
Ember patted her friend’s shoulder.
“Would one of you shine a light on the wound for me?” Dean asked.
Jordan turned on the flashlight on her phone while Ember fetched an empty milk crate from the back of her SUV for Dean to use as a stool.
He sat down then dipped a long swab in antiseptic. “Ember, grab a few of those water bottles from your car.”
Lycia brayed as Dean cleaned the laceration and held gauze pads against it to stop the bleeding.
Minutes ticked past. Ember bit her fingernails and offered up silent prayers that her precious mare would be okay.
Dean finally got up and hobbled a few steps away. “I don’t think it’s too deep. Doesn’t look as if she’ll need stitches but the vet would be a better judge of that.”
Ember hugged Dean. “Thank you. I’m so glad you were here.”
Jordan bobbed her head. “Me, too.”
Ember reluctantly disengaged herself from Dean. Jordan had ridden Lycia many times before without mishap. “Did she get spooked or something?” she asked her.
Jordan pulled Ember a few yards away and lowered her voice. “Do you want me to ask her? I didn’t think I should in front of your guy.”
Ember slid a glance at Dean, who was putting the first aid kit back together. He’d already seen enough to explode his scientific brain. Unless she could convince him to drink gallons of Nocturne Falls water in the next few minutes, he wasn’t going to unsee it all. “Yeah, maybe not tonight,” she told her friend. “Go ahead and do your dog pickup. Dean and I will wait here with Lycia until Dr. Schlick arrives.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” Ember said. “She’ll be fine, hon.”
Jordan gave her a tight hug. “Thanks for not shooting me with arrows.”
Ember laughed. “You’d better go before I change my mind about that.”
The vet drove up minutes after Jordan had left, and declared Dean’s ministrations successful. By the time they got Lycia back to the stable, the horse was almost as calm as her usual demeanor.
Ember blew a kiss at the mare and shut the stall door before joining Dean on the bench outside the guest quarters. “Hey, Superman.”
“Hardly,” he said. “Maybe Clark Kent’s nerdy cousin.”
She liked him so much. Dean had a career and a life back in Florida. He’d have to leave soon. Which made him the perfect guy for what she needed—a no-strings fling. Sure, she’d just met him, and their first encounter hadn’t exactly been storybook-perfect, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t scratch each other’s itches for the short time he had left in the area. As long as he agreed to leave the locals alone, what harm could it do to get a little cozy with him?
As the moon rose behind the trees, Dean’s gaze fell to her mouth. “May I—”
“Yes,” she said before he’d gotten out his request.
He cupped her face in his hand and skimmed his thumb over her cheek. Then his lips were on hers.
Lush sensations filled her empty coffers as a soft purr of pleasure escaped her throat. She gave herself over to the rough feel of his beard against her skin, his piney scent, and the minty taste
of his tongue.
I can do this.
Slipping her eyes closed, she returned his kiss and threaded her fingers through his hair. The knots inside her broke open, one by one.
It was going to be okay.
Chapter Seven
Dean took a bite of rice and studied Ember as she licked sauce from her top lip. His blood heated with carnal need. Kissing Ember had been even more enjoyable than he’d anticipated. All he could think about now was doing that again. And more.
One of the cats jumped up onto the table and knocked over his water, but before even a single drop had spilled out, Ember righted the glass. It happened so fast that for a moment he wasn’t even sure he’d seen it.
Ember widened her eyes as if she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Then she let out a nervous laugh.
His food churned in his belly. He hadn’t thought through his plan to observe her for research purposes. She valued her privacy so much; he could never compromise her anonymity. Besides, he was starting to get too close to his subject.
The fact that she clearly had superhuman abilities—both strength, speed, and incredibly quick reflexes—intrigued him, and called to the scientist in him. He’d have to exclude her from his observations, but there was no way that he could merely ignore all the odd things going on in Nocturne Falls. If what he’d seen so far was real, and not hallucinations brought on by the painkillers he’d taken, the scientific world had to be told. The ramifications were too great for him to ignore the possible benefits.
Ember picked up her plate and gestured at his. “All done?”
He handed it to her. “Let me help you with this.”
“Absolutely not.” The corners of her scarlet lips lifted in a gorgeous smile. “You’ve already done so much for me tonight.”
“It was nothing.” He pulled himself up. “I’ll go find a couple of sticks for roasting the marshmallows.”
“No need,” she said. “I’ve got professional ones. I’ll be right back. We can do it in the firepit.”
As she disappeared into the house, he headed to the seating area at the other end of the deck. Adirondack chairs were set up around a hexagon-shaped table with what looked like small amber stones in the center. He pushed the Light button on the side. A flame ignited and danced over the rocks.
Beauty and the Bigfoot Hunter Page 8
